The total synthesis of a variety of compounds with demonstrated neurological activity is proposed. In particular we seek to develop efficient synthetic procedures such that the target compounds will be available, via total synthesis, in sufficient quantities for detailed pharmacological evaluations. The general target structures are the pumiliotoxins, the gephyrotoxins, and pretazettine. Specifically we propose the total synthesis of the natural products pumiliotoxins II and III, gephyrotoxin, dihydrogephyrotoxin, and pretazettine. We moreover propose a rational program of analog preparation and testing which should affort basic structure-activity information and perhaps yield compounds of greater activity than the natural materials. Our proposed synthetic routes are founded on dienamide Diesl-Alder methodology which has recently been developed in our laboratory.